The office:
Lieutenant governor
Party:
Republican
The lane:
Greg Dolezal has positioned himself as a far-right candidate, running controversial ads including one that blew up an image of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a former Iranian leader who was killed by a military strike by U.S. and Israel.
The basics:
Dolezal was elected to the Georgia Senate in 2018. A Chicago native, Dolezal owns a technology company and lives in Cumming.
Why he’s running:
Dolezal is seeking to replace outgoing Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who is running for governor. Dolzeal said he got into politics because he was frustrated with rising property taxes and traffic gridlock and has since made a name for himself pushing some of the state’s more polarizing legislation.
What’s working:
Opposing Sharia law has been a flashpoint Dolezal’s campaign and voters rewarded him with a second-place finish in the May lieutenant governor primary.
The challenge:
Georgia’s GOP voters have yet to show what kind of Republican Party they want to lead the state going forward, whether they want elected officials who are more aligned with Donald Trump or are those who are OK distancing themselves from the president, who has recently had some of his lowest approval ratings.
What to watch:
Will Georgia’s GOP voters continue on the path of the last decade and lean into MAGA policies or are they ready to move on from the polarizing president?
Campaign website: https://gregdolezal.com/
